Welcome Back, NAF Network!

Welcome back to a new and exciting school year! 

As we kick off another school year, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your dedication, passion, and resilience. Each of you plays a vital role in shaping the minds and futures of our students, and your impact goes far beyond the classroom. Your influence extends into their homes, communities, and ultimately, the workforce.

The network continues to grow, and I hope you will join me in welcoming our thirty-eight new academies. The expansion of the NAF design is rewarding and further strengthens our commitment to providing access to equitable opportunities for students of all backgrounds and capabilities. Some of the new academy pathways include Small Business, Innovative Design and Applied Technology, Journalism, Biomedical Science and Veterinary Medicine, and Building & Design — all dynamic and inventive paths preparing students for careers for today, tomorrow, and well into the future.

We are also thrilled to celebrate one year since the launch of KnoPro, a free digital platform where students participate in projects backed by businesses designed to help students develop real-world skills, and potentially win cash prizes. With nearly 10,000 students and teachers participating across all 50 states, we have awarded over $100,000 for monthly challenges and daily skill builders.

Here are the two challenges for the fall: 

Lenovo | Tech for All Challenge: Creating Fair Workplaces (September 23- October 25)

The challenge asks students to explore how tech is making businesses more accessible and inclusive, and to develop their own tech solution to promote DEIA in the workplace. Students can win up to $10,000 in cash and prizes. Click here for more info. 

KPMG | AI Business Revolution Challenge: Transform Your Favorite Business with AI (October 21-November 22)

The challenge asks students to share their best ideas for how AI can help their favorite businesses improve their products or services, boost customer acquisition, and grow their business while making a positive impact on the world. Students can win up to $10,000 in cash and prizes. Click here for more info. 

Remember, KnoPro is for ALL high school students, both NAF and non-NAF, and even students outside CTE programming. Be sure to check out KnoPro for your class, school or any high school student in your life. To learn more, visit knopro.org. 

With every new school year comes exciting updates to the NAF design, including the following:  

• Family Newsletter – To keep families updated and informed on their student’s NAF experience, we are launching a family newsletter this year. Please share this opportunity with the parents, caregivers, or guardians of NAF students to learn more about NAF benefits and how they can support their child’s journey. The sign-up is here to opt-in.
• NAFTrack Students Redesign – Built around NAF’s approach to Outcomes Driven Work-Based Leaning (ODWBL), the new and improved NAFTrack Students was intentionally designed to further help students develop in their pursuit of skills, aspirations, and connections. Click here to learn more about the improvements. 
• Student Field Guide – The data is in for our insight-packed 2024 Student Field Guide, which is live! It shares the voice of more than 25,000 students from across the NAF network that participated in our spring student survey and is our way to offer you, our network of educators and stakeholders, a resource to reflect on what young people are saying about their academy experience.

As we embark on the year, let’s leverage the power of our national network to support each other through challenges, keep the joy of learning at the forefront of everything we do, and celebrate all our victories – large and small. I am incredibly proud to be part of this exceptional community, and I am looking forward to the great work we will accomplish together this year.  

As always, a huge thank you for everything you do.

Wishing you all the best for a successful and fulfilling school year.